Our Service Programs – Get Active!

The Village is run 100% by volunteer power. Call 510-355-7010 to get involved with any of the opportunities below.

It’s important to show up to meetings to advocate for our brothers and sisters living curbside. It’s equally important to build relationships and show up as allies in the streets. Scroll below to learn about ways you can plug into The Village work – from policy changes to encampment support to building emergency shelters to sharing hot meals and supplies.

Village Founder Needa Bee at a community townhall on neighborhood led approaches to the Homeless State of Emergency host by HAWG (Homeless Advocacy Working Group) in Downtown Oakland

Feed The People Member Chi advocates for The Village at City Council meeting

Reoccuring Meetings

Oakland City Council Meetings – at City Hall located at 14th and Broadway. come every other Tuesday to sign up for the Homeless State of Emergency and any other items that impact our folks on the streets. You can Come as early as 5:00pm to sign up to speak or fill out a speakers card here. Even if you don’t intend of speaking – show up, sign up and give up your time for someone else to speak longer. Check the agenda here.

City Council Committee Meetings – also located at City Hall, and also every other Tuesday, these are the committees which ideas are hashed out and developed before going to Full City Council meeting for a vote. You can Come as early as 5:00pm to sign up to speak or fill out a speakers card here. Check the agenda here. The two committees that are of special interest to our work are the Life Enrichment Committee and the Community and Economic Development Committee.

HAWG – Homeless Advocacy Working Group – birthed out of the bulldozing of the first Village created in West Oakland January 2017, this broadbased coalition of homeless advocates, curbside residents, tenants rights and non profit developers, business owners, and concerned housed residents fights for human rights based approaches towards homelessness in City Hall’s policies, practices and spending. The group meets every 2nd & 4th Monday the the 2nd floor conference room at Oakland City Hall

Service & Support In The Trenches

Feed The People

Feed The People – our service stems from the old school belief that you never come to someone’s home empty handed. so when we visit our brothers and sisters on the street to do outreach, education and visits – many times unannounced – we come with food, provisions, clothing, and conversation.

Currently Feed The People heads out on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Drivers, cooks, servers and donations always needed. Call Needa Bee at 510-355-7010 to find out more or plug in.

Emergency Response System – During evictions, curbside communities need support on site. Bringing coffee and food to share, cannibus, super strong trash bags, and a camera ready to document civil and human rights violations under the city’s practices is a solid time for housed folks and other curbside communities to jump in.

The Emergency Response System is also used to call folks to political actions, direct action support and eviction defense support.

To join Emergency Response System, simply text HOMESNOW to 797979. you will automatically be added to the system and will receive emergency calls to action and support.

Building Committee – when we use empty lots and abandoned homes to provide our people with emergency shelters our building team are the MVPs of this movement. Currently our builders have been focusing on upgrading the curbside communities that exist with emergency cabins, communal kitchens, and garden projects. Folks interested in being part of building committee should know how to read blueprints and have building or carpentry experience.

Trash Service – We provide curbside communities that do not receive trash pick up services from the city of Oakland with gloves, contractor bags and volunteers to collect trash and take it to the dump once a week

Portapotty Services– We provide sites that do not receive portapotty and hand washing stations from the city of Oakland with these services, as well as janitorial supplies to maintain the daily cleanliness of the units.

Drinking Water For The People – Once a week to deliver cases of clean drinking water to curbside communities.

10 Things You Can Do To Support Your Unhoused Neighbors – Check out this handy to do list. Share it with your friends and family. Organize your apartment complex, homies, block or place of worship to discuss these 1o things and how you can work together to support the curbside residents in your neighborhood.

Donate!

If you can’t be hands in the work, we understand! You can still contribute monetarily to support the work. You can send electronic Home Depot Gift Cards for The Village to maowunyo@gmail.com

ABOUT #FEED THE PEOPLE

#FeedthePeople, a collective of Oakland residents and activists, including some currently or formerly homeless, has been distributing food and supplies to homeless encampments in the East Bay for over a year. Every Wednesday, volunteers share hot home cooked meals, much needed supplies, hugs and support to people living on the street. They also provide advocacy and support to folks on the streets when they are harassed by police and politicians.

ABOUT THE VILLAGE

Creating autonomous encampments on public and private land in Oakland. Providing those who have been displaced thru gentrification their basic needs and rights: housing, food, provisions, healing, and dignity. Using a diversity of tactics to reach our goals is necessary in the current political, economic and historic moment we are in: direct action and policy reform. adverse possession and purchasing lands. reparations and self-determination. serve the unsheltered and self-governance of the unsheltered.